Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-16
FLOATING THUNDERERS.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEES IDEA
OF A NAVY.

| A Belief that the New Boats Should re
Ahead of Everything Else in tho
World-senator Hale Trying to Cut a
Loophole for the Contractors.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The Senate to-
| day took up Mr.. Cameron's bill to in.
crease the naval establishment. Mr.. Hale
offered an amendment that il the speed Of
any vessels shall exceed twenty knots an
hour the contractor shall receive $50.030
for each additional quarter of knot, aud
IL 1t shall be less than twenty knots au
hour there shall be deducted from the
contractor $4,000 for every quarter be-
low. MIR. Hale explained and defended
the amendment. He offered it as prac-
teal measure. It did not Involve tho
abandonment of a twenty-knot snao1s
1t did not encourage and stimV6e y con-
tractors to enter on this worKsHn con-
tracts which would be their ruin If they
failed.
A HEDGER.
Mr.. Van Wyok characterized the amend
ment as one for enabling the comm ttee
to ''hedge,s or the Naval Department. To
''hedge," or contractors to '.hedge'
against the government and against the
people. He thought that the Senate
should show little hesitancy about the
bill and s'go slow" He believed that the
real object of these bills Gas of the two
companion ordnance bills) was TO deplets
the Treasury so that there should be no
excuse for reducing oppressive tariff
duties.
Mr.. Hale said that he had no sense Of
humiliation In having learned something
over night. He acknowledged that his
fear Of danger that the rigid text OF the
bill might frighten Off contractors wasl
much stronger to- day tnan it was yester-
day. Thinking it over. he had offered tho
amendment as q practical measure, and
he thought it would commend Itself ta
the good sense of the Senate.
THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTE.
In reporting, through Mr.. Thomas, o.
''substltute bill for naval establishment"
the House Committee on Naval Affairs
says that recognizing the necessity for
speedy increase in the number of vessels
of war capable OF being used effectively
and economically, both in peace and war,
| IL has adopted those types OF vessels rep
resented by the swift, partially protected
and heavily armed cruisers Newark and
Gunboat No. 1. The report says: "The
Newark Is the latest and best type OK
modern man-of-war OF the 1000 tons dis
placement class, and il supplied with
triple expansion engines and the
best modern boilers and machinery
will undoubtedly be the best and swlftest
vessel OF her class in the world. Two os
| this type, to cost not over 81, 300, 900 each,
are recommended.
THE BIG GUNBoAT.
f'The vessel of the 1,700 tons dispIacg~
ment class, known as Gunboat No. II
is the heaviest armed boat in the worlds
and will probably have a speed OF nearly
nineteen knots an hour, and ability ld
overtake or escape from 80 per cent. OF all
the vessels of the navies or merchant ma
rines of the world. Four of this type, to
cost not over $550,000 each, are recon-.
mended.
GAS torpedo boats can be speedily built
when needed, the committee have thought
best to recommend the building AonlS,
one now to serve as pattern in case
large number should be needed.
ATERRoR.
''The pneumatic dynamite gun toHss
boat, now being constructed by the gov
ernment. promises to be a most terrible
and effective engine OF modern warfare,
and will probably supersede all other
types OF large torpedo boats. In case the
expectations OF the inventor and the Navy
Department are realized, when the vessel
is completed and tested at least a year.
must elapse before a bill can be properly
considered and passed authorizing the
construction of war vessels. Therefore,
the committee urges upon the House,
with the greatest possible earnestness,
the necessity for providing at once for
building the vessels suggested in the sub.
stitute."
THE OTHER BILLS. .
The bill reported has already been de.
scribed and is a substitute for Mr.. Law.
ler's substitute, Mr.. Thomas bill to in
crease the naval establishment, Mr..
Herberts bill to further increase tho
naval establishment, MIR. Ballentine's
bill to provide for the construction of Il
steam cruiser Of war of twenty knots
speed, Mr.. Merriman's bill for the pur-
chase of Ericsson's destroyer and ten
enlarged steel vessels OF the same
type, Mr.. Harmer's bill for the construc-
tion OF two composite training ships, Mr..
Kings bill Tor the construction of steel
clad rams without guns, and Mr.. Lore's
bill for the construction of Lundborg
vessel OF 20-knots speed. These bills pro.
vide for an appropriation of 500, ,0920fD
while the substitute bill contemplates an
ultimate expenditure of $4,920,000, and
makes an immediate appropriation OF
50 4l0 600